The act of stopping women from exercising their right to vote is utter violation of women’s rights and abhorrent to the spirit of democracy, said Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain. “Certain feudal lords and chieftains had prevented women from casting their votes in the by-elections, which is highly reprehensible,” he said. “Voting is a national trust and the elements betraying this trust should be strongly dealt with in accordance with law.” He demanded President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Interior Minister Rehman Malik to take strict notice of the practice of forcefully depriving women of their right to cast vote in the by-elections. He said the elements responsible for usurping the rights of the women should be arrested and re-polling should be held in those areas where women were not allowed to vote. Restraining women from taking part in the democratic process should be condemned at all levels, he added.